


Lost in Lace

by KittyKarnstein96



Series: The not-so-rotten four, being soft because it's what we deserve [2]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Aka the fic where they all shower Evie in affection and remind her to take breaks, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety Attacks, Evie needs and GETS all of the hugs, Evie-centric (Disney), F/F, F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, It's soft though I promise, M/M, Multi, Protective Mal (Disney), Rotten OT4, This was written because Evie's schedule in D2 made me want to scream, and like every struggling student Evie must learn the troubles of not enough sleep and hyperfixation, and that makes this fic really fucking kinky, angstangstangst means funfunfun!!, healthy loving relationships are my kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25559755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyKarnstein96/pseuds/KittyKarnstein96
Summary: The coronation has passed but suddenly Evie finds her scheduled packed and all she can think about is finishing one dress. Exhaustion hits hard and sometimes all Evie needs is to sleep, that is - if her thoughts will let her.Angst and rotten ot4 anyone?
Relationships: Evie/Carlos de Vil, Evie/Jay (Disney), Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos de Vil, Evie/Mal (Disney), Jay/Carlos de Vil, Jay/Mal (Disney), Mal/Carlos de Vil
Series: The not-so-rotten four, being soft because it's what we deserve [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1958242
Comments: 5
Kudos: 86





	Lost in Lace

**Author's Note:**

> Oh look another rotten ot4 fic because I could. This idea came when I was fixating on getting writing done, funny that and yes Evie is a goddess who wields power in a single pinky but having that much responsibility all at once is bound to be stressful at first (so I had to write something!)
> 
> Anyway, I really hope you enjoy it, angst and all. 
> 
> Massive shoutout to my beta's @Telli1206 and @HersilentLanguage (on tumblr) you guys rock! 💙

Fabric is beautiful—the way it folds and drapes, the way it catches the light. Evie's world is full of more fabrics than she'd dared dream of. The rhythm of needle and thread pulls her in. The compulsion to create is insistent, intoxicating. Time pales before it. Everything pales before it—lost within the seams.

Evie hasn’t looked up from her work in hours. Her fingers are moving at lightning speed as her designs come to life. Coming to Auradon had been a dream come true, and she is nothing if not determined to make it the best dream she’s ever had.

The girls’ dorm room has transformed into Evie’s private studio; Mal’s half of the room is the only part not covered in sketches and piles of fabric. Living here means Evie can design anything she wants, and it’s quickly become clear that people will pay  _ a lot  _ for an Evie original. After the coronation, the people of Auradon had begun to open their eyes to the talent she possessed, and the orders had been flooding in ever since. 

_ ‘People are always judging you Genevieve; you make sure to give them a lasting impression.’  _

An Evie original is always made with devotion and flair, and that holds true whether she’s creating for her friends at Auradon Prep or the many Auradonians beyond who now marvel at her creations. In the short time since their arrival, Evie has made dozens of pieces, starting with small accessories, but quickly branching into fully formed outfits.

Recently, Ben had approached her, grinning from ear to ear. He’d come with a proposal for her to design a new gown for his mother and, inevitably, Evie had agreed, foregoing any plans she had made previously to get started on it right away.

This is where she finds herself at the moment, with the day ticking by, slipping away under the thrum of the needle.

_ ‘We can’t let them find any faults, now can we?’ _

Time is lost as Evie works tirelessly, stitching and restitching, going over every detail again and again until she’s satisfied; then, repeating those steps on the next section. Her fingers are starting to feel numb, but she pushes through. The echoes of her mother’s voice in her brain remind her to stay focused.

_ ‘Remember what I’ve taught you—you must be perfect, darling!’ _

Her heart is beating. Her fingers are running over the fabric, smoothing the seams. This is a method of self-soothing Evie had learned on the Isle, something to ease her anxiety when it started to build.  _ Her designs need to be perfect.  _ How else will she make a name for herself?!

Her thoughts race around her brain like a toy train, the echoes of her mother’s cruel and unforgiving voice getting louder until—

The sound of the door opening brings Evie back to reality, and she finally glances up as Jay, Mal, and Carlos trundle through the doorway. She lets out a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding, her body visibly relaxing as she’s rewarded by three wide grins.

“See?” Mal bumps Carlos’s shoulder, a teasing grin tugging at her lips. “Right where I said she’d be.”

Carlos rolls his eyes, and makes his way over to Evie, leaning down to peck her lips. He looks at her with soft eyes; her relief at seeing him is mirrored in his own gaze.

“We tried calling you.”

“Oh.” Evie looks down, cheeks turning pink. “Sorry, I didn’t realise.” She sighs and thumbs at the material on her sewing table. “I’m working on a design for Belle.”

Jay slides into her view, his smile as charming as usual. He’s brandishing a carrier bag in one hand; he waves at her with his free hand, brushing off her apologetic tone. “Don’t worry, Princess, we brought dinner to you.”

“That’s very sweet, but I—” 

His arms fold across his chest, and he fixes Evie with a challenging stare. She tugs her lower lip between her teeth, releasing it a moment later as her mother’s voice once more wells up in her mind:  _ ‘Don’t do that. A prince won’t want someone with puffy lips, silly girl.’ _

She slowly nods, letting Carlos pull her over to join the other two.

Carlos sits first and tugs Evie until she's perched in his lap with his arms cradling her and his chin resting on her shoulder. He kisses her collarbone, and makes a noise of content. Jay attempts to coax Mal into a similar position, but quickly gives up when she playfully snaps her teeth at him. He settles for draping an arm over her shoulder instead. 

"Haven't you eaten?" Evie asks, meeting all of their expectant gazes. 

Mal shrugs, as though the answer is obvious: "We were waiting for you."

Evie smiles, accepting the carton Jay offers; her smile widens at seeing the little blue hearts doodled on top. (She would recognize Mal’s handiwork any day.)

“We also got some of that blueberry soda you love so much,” Carlos says around bites, his cheeks puffing out like a chipmunk as he grins at her.

Evie moves to slide off his lap, but his grip tightens around her waist. He shifts slightly, leaning in to sidle his way into stealing bites from her fork.

Mal stops mid bite, her eyes narrowing as she hones in on Carlos’s technique. “No fair! You’re taking all the best bites.” Her lips curl into a small pout.

Carlos flashes her a smug smirk, taking another slow bite and moaning dramatically. Mal’s eyes flicker between shades of green. Evie and Jay have little time to prepare before she’s launching herself at Carlos, who has just enough sense to move Evie off his lap before he’s leaping up to get away from Mal, taking his forkful with him.

So begins their mad dance around the room, with Carlos tauntingly waving the fork at Mal as she jumps onto the bed in pursuit of him. He giggles, letting Mal get closer only to take off in the opposite direction, tossing cushions behind him. She skillfully dodges every hit; finally, catching up with him, she tackles him and sends them both tumbling onto the floor. 

“Sharing food with Eves is so fun.” Carlos’s eyes twinkle. “You should try it.” 

“Oh really?” Mal taps her finger to her chin, then moves both her hands to his sides asan evil smirk spreads across her face.

Carlos’s eyes widen, but he’s too late. He squeals as Mal attacks him.

Evie shakes her head, watching them with a fond smile. 

"Maaaaaal!"

"Say mercy!" Mal teases, not letting up at all. 

He writhes under her touch, squealing and squirming as he tries to bat her hands away.

Mal smirks, easing off for a split second to share a look with the other two. Catching her moment of distraction, Carlos is poised and ready to escape; he bucks his hips, effortlessly flipping them over so that he’s on top of Mal, straddling her hips.

Mal’s jaw drops, her gaze full of awe as he smirks down at her. 

"Don't you d—"

He cuts her off, running his fingers over her sides. Mal doesn't squirm, but she can’t help the high-pitched giggles that escape her. 

"Aaah! Get off me!" she cries through her laughter.

"Sorry..." Carlos grins, doubling down on his attack. "Can't hear you."

Evie can feel Jay's gaze on her. She rolls her eyes, but her smile is soft. "Go get ‘em," she sighs fondly. 

Jay's up before she’s even finished her sentence, and the sound of Mal’s melodious giggling is all that fills the room from then on.

Evie gathers the empty food cartons up, neatly piling them by the door, then sits back down in front of her sewing machine. Her focus is momentarily pulled away, as she can’t help glancing across the room, her adoring eyes falling on the boys tickling Mal, who's attempting to curse them (though not very effectively, if her loud laughter is any indication). 

Their joy always gives Evie the boost she needs. She’s ready to refocus her energy on the task at hand. The thrum of the needle kicks in, and she's back in her own world, the sound of Mal’s giggles dying away as Evie sinks deeper into the rhythm of her work.

* * *

_ ‘Hurry up Genevieve, a lady doesn't keep people waiting.’ _

Evie had been up for hours already, making alterations and adding little tweaks. Her sewing machine was temporarily switched off as she worked to hand-sew little flecks of gold along the hemline. She usually loves her work, but her thoughts won’t stop running today. The machine may have stopped whirring, yet Evie’s mind won’t stop—can’t stop; her doubts are creeping in at every opportunity. 

Her clothes need changing. It’s unlike Evie to still be in her pyjamas (even in the privacy of her dorm room). Why hadn’t she thought to change?  _ No, _ she thinks—she has to keep working. There are people counting on her. She can hear the sound of footsteps in the corridor, the distant murmuring of voices—but she can’t look up. She has to finish the stitching. How can she possibly stop?

_ ‘You’ll never get a prince if you don’t focus!’ _ Grimhilde’s voice in her head takes Evie back in time, to her mother’s room, with her chin being forced up by the Evil Queen herself as she’s shown how to apply blush. Evie had just wanted to go outside, but—  _ ‘Sit up straight. Why must I repeat myself?! I expect you to get it right without me having to prompt you.’ _

She closes her eyes, and takes a few small breaths, setting her thread down and running a hand over the smooth material. The softness under her fingertips grounds her back in reality. She shakes her head, silently berating herself for getting distracted. She swallows the groan threatening to escape when, suddenly, a familiar face appears in the doorway.

Jay leans against the doorframe, a rare hesitance in his smile. “Can I come in?” 

Evie nods and gives him a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. It’s enough that any hesitance he’d shown is instantly replaced with a charming smile as he swaggers over to place a kiss to her lips. She lets herself sink into it, reaching up to embrace him as she hums consideringly at the lingering taste of chocolate on his lips.

Finally, she pulls back from Jay, putting a hand on his chest, and gently pushing him back when he tries to chase her lips.

_ “Nuh-uh,  _ don’t think you can distract me, Charmer.”

There’s a challenging twinkle in his eyes. His smirk is still in place even as he holds his hands up. “I would  _ never _ distract you, Princess.” 

Evie shakes her head, and turns back to her desk. Jay sits on the bed, taking in Evie's appearance. Her usually pristine hair falls with flyaway strands. It's almost like Evie can't tell; her gaze is fixated on the fabric in her hands. She sighs, feeling the heat of Jay’s eyes on her. She lifts her head, and fixes him with a stern frown. 

"Is there a reason you're staring?" 

"You're beautiful," says Jay, as though it's the most obvious thing in the world. 

Evie sighs, her gaze softening a fraction. "You're very sweet, but I have work to do."

Jay hums in response, but concern is etched into his features as Evie turns her attention back to the fabric. He gets up and crosses the space, perching on the edge of her desk.

Evie carries on working, pointedly ignoring his gaze. 

"I'm meeting her royal purpleness for ice cream soon. You should come with," he suggests, a hopeful energy to his tone. "You can get any flavour you want—my treat—and I won't steal it. Promise." 

Chuckling, Jay wiggles his eyebrows and gives her shoulder a playful nudge, but his smile falls away when Evie’s face hardens—her jaw set and her posture painfully stiff.. 

"I'm busy, Jay! I don't have time to waste," she hisses, glaring up at him. 

He frowns, not liking her dismissive tone, but ultimately nods, letting the words slide off him like hot butter. He puts a hand on her shoulder and gives it a gentle massage. 

"You're right, babe." Jay runs a hand through her hair, his smile reforming as an idea occurs to him. "At least let me braid your hair—get it out of your face?" 

Jay smiles placatingly, and gives a strand of her hair a gentle, teasing tug. Evie rolls her eyes, but lets out a chuckle, pushing her chair back so Jay can slide into the space in front of her. He loosens Evie’s hair from its tie, combing his fingers through it, and smiling when she arches into his touch. 

He moves behind her and starts his work, carefully parting Evie’s hair into three strands and weaving them together. She has to admit—it feels nice to be pampered. Jay takes his time with the braid, subtly massaging Evie’s scalp as he works, feeling her relax more and more into the feeling of it.

"That feels really good," Evie moans, arching further into Jay's touch. 

He lets out a chuckle, leaning down to give her hair some extra attention. His lips hover at the nape of her neck, and he’s tempted to trail kisses over the exposed skin, but he suppresses the urge, not wanting to do anything that might upset her further.

"Your hair is gorgeous, E," he murmurs.

Evie hums, but makes no further response, lost in the way Jay works his fingers seamlessly through her hair. He's surprisingly gentle, and Evie can't help but imagine Jay owning his own salon. His hair was pretty gorgeous, too; in fact, she’s sure he’d give Rapunzel a run for her money. 

Sooner than she was expecting, Jay’s tugging on the end of her hair, and tilting her chin to meet his gaze. His eyes shine with awe, and his smile lights up his entire face.

When he looks at her like that, it never fails to catch Evie’s breath; a light blush colours her cheeks, in turn. Jay slides his hand from her chin to her cheek, and slowly brings their lips together. Evie melts into the kiss, fisting her hand in his shirt to pull him closer. He cups her face with both hands, thumbs softly brushing over her cheeks.

There’s a dreamy look in Evie’s eyes when he pulls back, and it makes him feel relieved.

“It’s really unfair to all these losers,” he says, chuckling. She tilts her head in confusion, and he smirks as he explains, “You get more beautiful every day, and Chad  _ not-so _ -Charming just gets uglier.” 

Evie shakes her head in an attempt to shush him, but her giggling only makes him smirk more. “You’re terrible!” she gasps through her laughter, shoving his arm lightly. 

Jay shrugs, looking far too pleased with himself. “You love it.” 

Evie sighs dramatically. “I suppose you’re right,” she says, chuckling as a small pout forms on his lips. “Oh, put that pout away. You should get going.” 

“Yeah, don’t want to keep our baby dragon waiting.” Jay laughs, already imagining Mal’s grumpy face greeting him. 

He makes his way to the door, stopping for one last kiss before he leaves. Evie watches him go, feeling dread start to sink in once more. For a flicker of a moment, she’s tempted to follow him, say “to Hades with it!” and just go have fun with her partners.

_ ‘Always so distracted, you’ll never get a prince with that attitude,’  _ Evie shudders, and quickly shoves the thought down. The dress needs to be perfect—getting distracted isn’t an option; she reminds herself of that over and over again, ignoring the aching in her fingers.  _ Just a little more,  _ she promises herself, knowing it’s a lie. 

* * *

Evie groans as the morning light begins creeping in, rudely awakening her from a short slumber. She doesn’t remember getting into bed, though she briefly remembers Mal pressing her face into her neck. Tired doesn’t begin to explain how exhausted Evie feels as she forces herself out of bed, stumbles to her closet, and grabs the first outfit she finds. She’s not awake enough to notice Mal watching her with concern.

She hears Mal’s voice, but it sounds distant, and it takes a few seconds for Evie to realize she hadn’t imagined it: “C’mon E, we gotta go.”

Mal’s hand slips into hers, and she interlaces their fingers as she all but drags Evie out the door (a definite first for them). Evie forces her eyes to stay open. Her head is heavy with sleep as they make their way across campus. The warmth radiating from Mal’s hand doesn’t help ease Evie’s tiredness, but she’s not about to let go, not when Mal is openly showing affection as she carefully guides them through groups of students. 

They make it to their history classroom with a few minutes to spare.

Evie takes her usual seat beside Carlos, closing her eyes and letting her head fall to rest on his shoulder. Jay raises his eyebrows, turning to Mal for an explanation. Mal just gives him a warning glare as she slips into the seat beside him, then twists her body to run her gaze worriedly over their girlfriend. 

Mal waking up before Evie was definitely not a regular occurrence, and seeing Evie this visibly exhausted was jarring. She can’t remember the last time Evie had to be dragged out of bed, but the beauty in blue was looking very worn out today. Mal knows they were in a rush, so Evie had grabbed the first thing she could find to wear, but seeing Evie in her lilac hoodie isn’t a bad sight.

Mal forces the warmth down. She knows Evie is beautiful—anyone with working eyes could see that, but this is something more. As their teacher enters the room, Mal is forced to look to the front. She makes a mental note to have a talk with Evie later. 

Carlos, meanwhile, gently trails a hand over Evie’s cheek, silently mourning the loss of contact when she stirs and straightens herself back up again. He slips his hand under the desk instead, letting it rest on Evie’s knee. He traces patterns into her skin in a way he hopes is reassuring.

At the same time, he makes a point of sharply focusing his mind on what their teacher says. He neatens his usually scribbly notes to make them more legible for later reference.

Evie blinks a few times, shaking her head and willing herself to focus on anything other than how her bones ache. She can feel Carlos’ fingers tracing slow patterns across her knee. The feeling is soft; it’s a tactic he’d picked up to help ground her when her thoughts became too much to bear. 

When the teacher turns to the board, Jay takes the opportunity and immediately pivots to look at Evie, his smile etched with concern. She leans forward to squeeze his hand, and gives him a small smile in return. Jay opens his mouth to say something, then stops, jerking back around when Mal slaps his arm just in time for them both to flash an innocent smile at their teacher.

As the class drones on, Evie’s head starts to lull, the promise of sleep getting increasingly more enticing. They break off into small groups, and their teacher doesn’t bother trying to split the four of them up. (He’d rather avoid another of Mal’s outbursts).

Carlos takes the lead, rattling off his notes as Mal and Jay nod along.

They all glance at Evie, unable to hide their worry. 

“I think you need a nap, Princess.” Jay bumps her shoulder, biting back a chuckle when she pouts at him. 

Evie shakes her head. “No, I’m fine,” she insists. “This class is just a little...” She waves a hand, catching the sparkle in Mal’s eye. 

“...Boring,” Mal scoffs loudly. 

Several students turn to look, shooting annoyed glances at Mal.

She just rolls her eyes, and snaps her teeth at them, grinning as they quickly avert their gazes. Evie doesn’t bother shushing her, like she usually does. The strangeness of that sobers Mal, and she turns to Carlos with a more serious expression. 

“We’ll meet after tourney practice,” she tells him, in a soft, yet still commanding tone. “We can go over your notes, Pup, and make a plan.” 

Jay sniggers, jabbing Mal’s side. “Aww, the  _ ferocious _ dragon wants to study.” 

“Shut the fuck up!” Mal growls, punching his shoulder. 

Jay clutches it dramatically, jutting his lower lip out, and flashing her his very bad attempt at puppy dog eyes. Mal shoves his shoulder, and points a warning finger in Carlos’s direction. He mimics drawing a halo above his head, the corner of his lips twitching.

Evie laughs softly, drawing Mal’s attention.

Her eyes narrow playfully. “Got something to say, Princess?” 

Evie giggles, and gives Mal a teasing smile. “You actually want to study. It’s cute.” 

Mal flips her off, and sinks into her seat, but they don’t miss the blush on her cheeks or the way she mumbles,  _ ‘You guys suck’ _ under her breath. Evie laughs, feeling a little burst of energy from their jesting. She takes Carlos’s notes, smiling at the little  _ ‘for Evie’ _ scribbled at the top of the page, and starts to read over them.

That’s when she feels an unfamiliar set of eyes upon her.

She shifts and glances up, frowning as Chad Charming—the truth of his name often debatable—tilts his head at her, openly staring as he leans into her space.

Evie raises a brow. “May I help you?”

Chad looks at her as though she’s grown three heads, his face scrunching into a confused expression. 

“I was just wondering if you were alright.” 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Evie folds her arms, not liking the way he stares at her.

Chad holds his hands up, laughing snootily. “You don’t appear to be wearing any make-up. Isn’t that what girls like you do?” 

Evie stills, her whole body tensing as her eyes cloud with unshed tears. She can’t focus on anything with the tears spilling faster than she can wipe them away.  _ ‘Hide those blemishes.’ _ She has to stop crying.  _ ‘You’ll never get a prince without lipstick.’ _ Why can’t she stop crying?

Carlos is cupping her face. He says something, but Evie can’t hear him over the commotion around her.

Mal lobs a pencil at Chad’s face, and it hits him square in the nose. His loud shriek echoes around the otherwise eerily quiet classroom. Mal rounds the table, and slams Chad up against the wall, her eyes glowing a dangerous shade of green. Jay is behind her immediately, trying to restrain Mal as he shouts in Chad’s face. 

Evie picks up her bag and fumbles to find her mirror inside. Her thoughts are racing. She has to fix her face.  _ Where’s her make-up? Why can’t she find it? How could she have left for class without her make-up? She’s always so on top of everything. How could this happen? _

Carlos lays his hand atop hers, gently pushing down until her bag hits the table. He turns her face toward him again, reaching up to brush her tears away as he murmurs, over and over, “It’s okay, Evie. You’re beautiful. You’re so fucking beautiful, Evie.”

It’s too late to console her. She’s already crying uncontrollably. She can hear the words  _ ‘ugly’ _ and  _ ‘disappointment’ _ repeating in her head like a broken record; it’s her mother’s voice, like always. She shuts her eyes tight, and shakes her head. She tries to breathe, choking back sobs as she desperately tries to compose herself. 

“Eves,  _ please,” _ says Carlos, squeezing her hand, and repeating his words like a mantra: “You’re safe. I’ve got you.” 

Evie opens her eyes, meeting his soft gaze, and finds herself leaning into his touch. Her breathing is ragged and shaky, and she’s unable to form words; but Carlos knows—he  _ always _ knows—and he smiles at her, pressing their entwined hands to his chest. 

“Just listen to my voice, okay?” Carlos says calmly, despite how panicked he feels. 

Evie looks at him but doesn’t say anything, and Carlos takes it as a sign to continue. 

“We’re going to focus on slowing our breathing down. Just follow me.” He breathes in, holding it for a few seconds, then slowly releases the breath. He inhales again, slow and measured, guiding Evie as she starts to mirror his actions. 

There’s a tickle in Evie’s throat, and she swallows the urge to reach for her bag as she breathes in and out in counts of four. 

“That’s it, you’re doing really well.” Carlos speaks gently, and gives her an encouraging smile. “Feel better?”

Evie releases a shaky breath, her eyes starting to clear as she focuses on Carlos’s soft and patient face. His tone is full of sincerity. He runs his hands through her hair as he looks her in the eye, waiting until she nods before he speaks again.

“Evie,  _ you _ are beautiful. You’d be beautiful even if you didn’t wear make-up or have a killer fashion sense. You’re beautiful because you’re  _ kind _ and  _ funny _ and  _ so _ smart.” He punctuates each point with a kiss—first, to her forehead, then her eyelids, and finally, her nose. “You have the biggest heart,” he continues. “You’re compassionate and you’re sexy.” He kisses her cheeks as she starts to blush. “Seriously, you don’t need make-up to be beautiful, Evie. I’ll remind you of that  _ every day _ if that’s what it takes for you to realize how amazing you are.”

Carlos kisses her lips, pouring everything he can into the embrace. Her lips move slowly against his as her hands find purchase at the back of his neck. He can feel her tears still falling, but she’s smiling into the kiss, and that’s enough for him to shut out his concern for just a moment. They pull back, and Evie rests her head against Carlos’s forehead.

The commotion has started to fizzle away, and students are being shushed as their teacher deals with Chad. Jay tugs Mal from the scene, shoving her out the door of the classroom before she has the chance to protest.

Carlos doesn’t feel bad at seeing how pale Chad looks, knowing full well the fear Mal inspires when she’s upset. He takes Evie’s hand, grabs both their belongings, and follows the others out of the room. 

They’re not even fully around the corner when Evie is pulled into Mal’s arms. 

“E, I’m so sorry,” she gasps, holding Evie tight enough that it starts to hurt. 

Evie makes a soft noise of discomfort, and Mal instantly loosens her grip. She steps back, but her arms remain around Evie’s waist. Mal’s face is flooded with guilt, and her eyes are flickering between shades of green. 

“He’s an imbecile,” she declares in a soft hiss. “I swear I’ll—” 

“It’s okay, M,” Evie says gently. “I’m okay.” 

Mal stills, glancing from Carlos to Evie; then, she nods, giving Evie another hug for good measure. While they’re close like that, Mal also kisses Evie’s neck, and nuzzles beneath her chin, earning a soft giggle in response.

Evie pulls back and takes Jay’s hand, picking up on the anxiety radiating off of him. 

“Are you okay?” she asks, leaning up to place a hand on his cheek. 

Jay can’t help a wry chuckle. He looks at her with the softest smile she’s ever seen, and says, “I think  _ I _ should be asking  _ you _ that.” 

Evie caresses his cheek, and gives him a warm smile. "I'm okay, just a little emotional."

Jay nods, but doesn't let up. He takes her hand, places a kiss on her palm, and subtly pulls her closer (or not so subtly, since she's giving him a knowing smirk). 

"Maybe you should get some rest,” He nods to Mal and Carlos as he adds, "we'll cover for you."

Evie starts to protest, but she softens at the equally pleading looks on Mal and Carlos's faces. 

"Missing one day won't kill you, E." Mal winks at her. 

"I'll make copies of my notes for you," Carlos promises, his eyes wide in a way that reminds her so much of Dude's puppy eyes. 

Evie sighs, knowing better than to try and argue against  _ that  _ face. She gives them all a small nod, resigned to agreement. "A nap does sound good."

Jay hugs her close and kisses the top of her head. Evie smiles and hugs him back, grateful for the extra warmth. She pulls away, giving Carlos and Mal a quick parting kiss before heading in the direction of her dorm room.

She stops at the canteen on her way, leaving with an extra strong cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin. 

Her mind travels back to the dorm room, and thoughts of sleep are far from her mind. With the sudden extra time she's found herself with today, she can keep working on Belle’s dress, and once it’s finished, she’ll sleep for a week.

**\---**

It's well into the evening when Mal returns to the dorm room, armed with a bag of Evie's favourite treats. She knocks on the door and, after receiving no answer, simply opens it. Her jaw drops when she steps inside to see the seamstress hard at work. 

Evie attempts to inconspicuously hide the fabric in her hand as the door opens, but it’s too late.

It just  _ had _ to be Mal, with her fierce green eyes and smoke practically exploding from her ears as her gaze fixes onto her girlfriend: Evie, who is not asleep, but once again working at her desk; the hum of the sewing machine cuts through the silence as Mal steps into the room.

Mal doesn't say anything, shoving her backpack off and dumping it beside the bed. 

Evie turns to face her, greeting her with a nervous smile. "Oh, hey, M..."

"Don't you ' _ hey, M'  _ me," Mal snaps, folding her arms across her chest. "Why aren't you  _ resting?"  _

"I'm almost done," Evie insists, holding up the dress to emphasise her point. 

Mal pinches the bridge of her nose, and releases a breath. "You said that yesterday."

Evie laughs, rolling her eyes playfully. "Aww, c'mon, M, there's no need for dramatics."

Mal exhales through her nose. "Are you  _ serious  _ right now? You’ve been saying you’re  _ ‘almost done’ _ for nearly a week!” 

“You don’t understand,” sighs Evie, her brown eyes shining as she meets Mal’s deep green stare. 

Mal throws her hands up, exclaiming, “Then explain it to me! God damn it, Evie! When was the last time you went to sleep before 1am? And by the way, I  _ know _ you’ve been skipping meals, since we’re constantly having to bring you food.” 

“Well, I’m sorry to be such an inconvenience!” Evie retorts bitterly.

Mal steps closer, her own frustration quickly rising. “That’s  _ not  _ what I said. I’m just worried about you.”

Evie shakes her head dismissively, standing up to meet Mal at the centre of the room. “You have a funny way of showing it.” 

“What am I supposed to do Evie?! I can’t haul you over my shoulder, or burn your  _ precious _ sewing machine.” 

Mal takes a step forward and then another, holding Evie’s gaze as she advances on her. “All you do is work on that dress,” she accuses. “I don’t even remember the last time all four of us hung out together. What’s so wrong with taking a break, huh?” 

Evie steps closer, her words coming out in an almost desperate plea. “I  _ can’t  _ take a break! It needs to be perfect. I won’t get sent back there, Mal—I can’t!” 

Mal pauses, then draws back a step, steadying herself and trying to speak calmly; her voice still wavers despite her efforts as she says, “Listen to yourself, E! You’re working yourself to exhaustion!” 

“Working hard isn’t a  _ crime!” _ Evie snarls defensively. 

Mal balls her hand into a fist, fighting every urge in her to growl. “You’re letting it consume you! This  _ isn’t  _ you!” 

Evie rolls her eyes, going to walk past her, but Mal reaches for her hand, firmly tugging her back. She looks up expectantly, struck by the emotion in Mal’s eyes. 

“I’m worried about you,” Mal admits, softer than before. “The boys are, too.” 

Evie pulls her arm away, dark eyes shining with hurt. “You’ve been talking behind my back?” 

“It’s not like that, E. We care about you, and we just... hate seeing you like this.” 

“Like what?  _ Busy?  _ Successful? Maybe  _ you _ just don’t know what hard work looks like,” Evie sneers, feeling too angry to acknowledge the hurt flickering in Mal’s eyes. “Honestly, it’s okay for  _ you _ to hide away, but when I do it’s suddenly the worst thing in the world! Is that it?!” 

Mal shakes her head. “That’s not fair...” 

Evie knows she’s shouting, but her mother’s voice in her head is getting too loud to think around, and Mal is standing there, her words feeling like a personal attack. She can’t stop. Her mother’s voice won’t be silenced.  _ ‘Work harder Genevieve.’ ‘Get rid of those bags under your eyes.’ ‘You call that a dress?’ _

She can’t help it—the words come tumbling out in a mad flurry: “No, what’s not fair is how you’re acting. I’m under a lot of pressure, and you’re not making it any easier!” 

Jay and Carlos slowly walk into the room, easily picking up on the tension between the girls. Their waves of greeting are ignored. They both choose to sit on the nearest bed. Carlos gently places Dude down, his gaze drifting between the two girls. Mal ignores them, stepping closer to Evie, their voices matched in passion.

“If you expect me to sit idly by while you work yourself to  _ death, _ then you don’t know me  _ at all!” _ Mal stresses, her eyes flashing brightly.

“Maybe I don’t...” 

“You’re being stupid. It’s just a dress!”

Jay shares a look with Carlos, neither knowing how to intervene. Carlos shifts closer to Jay, feeling his own anxiety on the rise. Jay squeezes Carlos’s thigh to assure him, then gets up, moving to Mal’s side. He places a hand on her shoulder, and speaks softly: “Mal, maybe you should go cool off.” 

“I don’t need to cool off,” Mal growls, without tearing her gaze from Evie’s. Her voice gets louder with each word: “What I  _ need _ is for Evie to actually  _ listen _ to me.” 

Evie slams a hand down on the desk, a thunderous glare spreading across her face. She barks out a laugh, the sound cold and unfamiliar even to her own ears as she takes a step closer to Mal. 

“Making this dress is important to me,” she declares. “It’s my  _ passion, _ and I don’t need to explain myself to  _ you.  _ Maybe if you had your  _ own _ hobby, you wouldn’t feel the need to impose yourself on mine. At least I  _ have _ a passion.” Evie spits the words out, like she’s eaten a rotten apple. “You know what? I don’t need you or your jealousy right now.” 

Evie regrets it as soon as she says it. Her hand clamps over her mouth as soon as she looks up.

Mal’s knuckles are tight and ghostly white, fingernails digging into her palms. Evie's seen that before (she recognizes the action—something Mal does to calm herself down). What really catches her attention, though, is the light dimming in Mal’s eyes, the way hurt flickers there, just briefly, before her stoic mask slips back into place. 

“Mal, I—”

"Fine," she interrupts, her lips curling into a cold sneer. 

Jay reaches for her hand, but she shoves it away as she storms past him, the stomp of her boot heels as loud as if a door were being slammed several times over.

It’s silent in her wake, as the shock sinks in.

Evie falls back against the desk, tears stinging in her eyes. Quickly, Carlos is across the short space and at her side. He takes her hand and wordlessly guides her to the bed. He nods to Jay—a silent  _ ‘I got this’ _ —letting him know he’s free to go after Mal, which he does.

The door closes behind Jay, and there’s a breath of silence before Evie lets out a quiet sob. 

“Why did I say that?! I’m so stupid.” 

“You’re not stupid,” Carlos says firmly, taking both of her hands in his. “Evie, you’re exhausted.” 

Evie cries harder, not bothering to brush the tears away. She grabs his hand like a lifeline. 

“I can hear her words, over and over again.” She doesn’t have to say who she’s talking about. Carlos knows. “Every time I thought I was done, there she was and I couldn’t stop,” she whispers, sounding pained. “I need it to be perfect Carlos, it has to be...” 

“She’s not here, I won’t let her hurt you, E.” Carlos pulls her closer, running his hands through her hair. “You’ve been struggling with this alone. I’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner.” 

Evie hugs him tighter, letting his words sink in. 

“The dress is perfect, and I’m not just saying that,” Carlos continues before she can protest. “Your work is incredible, Evie. I love all the clothes you’ve made for us. They’re perfect because  _ you _ made them—with love. That’s all your designs truly need.”

He lifts her chin with one finger, tucking a stray blue strand behind her ear.

“You’re going to take Auradon by storm,” he assures her. “Everyone’s going to want an Evie original in their closet, and that’s freaking awesome!” His voice is full of passion and awe. “Looking after yourself doesn’t make you a bad person. We can be our best selves here. We can make a difference for all of the kids still stuck on the Isle. But to do that, we need to take care of ourselves, too.” 

He brushes her tears away, then presses a feather-light kiss to her cheek. 

“You’re always there for us. Please let us do the same for you.” 

Evie nods against his chest, shifting positions to lay her head in his lap. Carlos smiles softly, gently running his hand across her forehead, massaging her temples. 

“I can help you make a schedule tomorrow,” Carlos offers with a contented sigh. 

Evie hums, relaxing under his gentle touch. “That sounds great, Pup.” 

“By the way, I know you guys didn’t want to go when Fairy Godmother suggested it, but...” There’s a nervous lilt to Carlos’ voice.. “I think we should go to therapy. It could help to talk to someone different.” 

His hand stills as Evie opens her eyes, staring up at him with a soft, knowing expression. “I’ve been thinking about it, too,” she confesses softly. 

Carlos resumes massaging her temples, smiling a little now. “We can go together. The four of us.” 

“Jay and Mal won’t like it,” Evie sighs, already knowing what their reactions will be. 

“They don’t have to like it,” Carlos says with a shrug. He pauses thoughtfully, then adds: “No matter what, we’ll all support each other. If they really don’t want to go… we won’t force them. But  _ hopefully, _ they’ll realise they deserve the help just as much as we do.” 

“Yeah…” Evie swallows, a wave of insecurity washing over her. “If Mal ever speaks to me again, that is.” 

Carlos shifts them both into a sitting position, allowing him to wrap his arms around Evie and pull her into his lap. “She’ll get over it,” he says. “Jay’s probably gonna take her sparring to help her blow off some steam.” 

Evie nods, not quite convinced. Carlos must see it, because he cups her face and lightly kisses the tip of her nose, murmuring to her, “Mal loves you. She just needs some space—and  _ you _ need to rest.” 

“Will you stay with me?” Evie asks, her eyes wide and pleading. 

In answer, Carlos guides her back down, shifting the covers to accommodate them. He fluffs up her pillows and gently tugs Evie closer until her back is against his chest, one arm draped across her stomach. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” he assures her. 

Evie lets her eyes flutter shut, slipping into a slumber almost instantly, safely tucked in Carlos’s arms. The weight on her shoulders lessens as sleep finally takes over.

* * *

The morning light creeps in, gently awakening Evie. She stirs, feeling Carlos’s arm across her stomach. She opens one eye, smiling at the way Carlos has wound up starfished across the bed, with Dude curled up by his feet. Her eyes start to adjust and the room becomes clear. Evie’s gaze falls to her desk, and she leaps from the bed, eyes widening as she stares at the empty space where Belle’s dress used to be. 

“I got Jay to deliver it last night.” 

Evie spins on her heel, unable to keep from smiling when she sees none other than Mal approaching from the doorway. She launches herself into Mal’s arms, and Mal laughs, patting her back and swaying them on the spot. 

“Mal, I’m so sorry,” Evie says at the same time Mal jumps in with, “I’m sorry, E.”

They both chuckle, pulling back with soft expressions.

Evie nods for Mal to go first, not wanting to stop holding her. 

“You were right,” Mal admits. When Evie frowns, she continues: “I saw you were stressed, and instead of helping, I snapped at you.” 

Evie squeezes Mal’s hand. “I snapped too, M.” 

“No, I said you were being stupid,” Mal insists, shaking her head and holding Evie’s gaze to stress her point. “Your work isn’t stupid Evie, and I’m really sorry if I made you feel like it was...” She looks down as she says it, her voice wavering slightly.

Evie steps closer and gently pulls Mal forward, her gaze just as soft as before. Her hands move to Mal’s neck, and Mal’s find purchase on Evie’s waist. Evie smiles, and when she speaks, her voice is soft with understanding.

“I love you, and I appreciate your apology—even if it’s unnecessary.” Evie gives her a watery smile. “You tried to help me, and I lashed out at you. I needed the rest. I don’t think I remember the last time I slept that well.” 

Mal gives her a crooked half-smile, leaning into Evie’s touch. 

“Carlos and I are going to come up with a schedule to help to manage my time better.” 

“That sounds really great, E,” Mal says gently. “And I will support you, no matter what.” 

Evie strokes Mal’s cheek. “Thank you for talking some sense into me, baby dragon.” 

A pink flush spreads across Mal’s cheeks. She laughs a little, and looks up with that same crooked half-smile. “It had to happen eventually.”

“Did Belle like my dress?” Evie asks after a moment, uncharacteristically nervous.

“Are you kidding? Of course she did, E!” 

It’s Evie’s turn to blush, a warm smile spreading across her face as she revels in the praise. Mal’s gaze is full of pride and awe. 

“How about I tell you all about it over breakfast... by the lake?” Mal asks with a hopeful smile. 

“I would love that.” 

Mal wiggles on the spot, grinning from ear to ear. She gives Evie a quick kiss, moving to sit on the bed as Evie goes about her usual morning routine. Mal perches next to Carlos, playfully nudging his foot. He groans into the pillow, sleepily opening one eye to glare at her. Mal chuckles, shooting him a teasing smirk.

“Hey, sleeping beauty, it’s time to get up.” 

“Wha—why?” He pouts, attempting to snuggle further under the covers. 

Mal rolls her eyes, leaning over to whisper in his ear. “Fine, you can sleep, and we’ll eat all of the chocolate chip pancakes I made.” 

Carlos grumbles under his breath and then he’s sitting up, looking at Mal with eager eyes. “You made pancakes?” 

“Better get dressed if you want any,” she teases in a sing-song voice, sniggering as he leaps out of bed. 

It doesn’t take long for Carlos to get dressed. The boys tended to leave some spare clothes in the girl’s dorm room; they couldn’t sneak in without being prepared, at least.

When he’s done, he sits down in front of Mal, closing his eyes and letting her run her fingers through his curls. He hums at the sensation as Mal gently combs her fingers through his hair, scratching in his favourite spot. 

“Are you actually okay?” he asks quietly.

Mal kisses the top of his head in response. 

“Did you spend all night baking?” He tilts his head back to look at her.

“Not all night,” Mal shrugs, smiling at him. “Jay helped. Well, actually, no—he sat on the counter and helped himself to chocolate chips. It was no big deal, though.” 

Carlos laughs and pulls her in for a soft kiss. “You’re adorable.” 

Mal ruffles his hair and rolls her eyes, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. They both look up as Evie re-enters the room, as gracious as ever. Her hair is pulled into a loose ponytail, with small strands framing her face. She’s wearing a maroon sweater of Carlos’s, frayed and well-worn, falling to just above her knee. She’s paired it with her favourite pair of paint-splattered black and white leggings. Her make-up is minimal, with just a little lip gloss to make her lips shine. 

Evie plays with the hem of the sweater, looking up through her lashes at their matching adoring gazes. She bites her lip, pushing down the thoughts that threaten to arise at the action. “Are we ready to go?” she asks quietly.

Mal crosses the space, taking Evie’s face between her hands and pulling her in closer until their lips meet. She brushes her lips against Evie’s, slow and languid. Evie sighs into the embrace, unable to help but smile into the kiss.

Finally, Mal pulls back, giving Evie a few smaller pecks before she takes her hand and declares, “Now I’m ready.”

Evie grins, bumping her shoulder against Mal’s as they walk toward the door, Carlos following behind them with Dude cradled in his arms. They walk to the lake in a comfortable silence, only occasionally broken by Carlos’s eager ramblings about all the food he’s anticipating.

Jay’s already there, waiting for them with a picnic blanket at the ready and numerous treats arranged neatly before him. Evie releases Mal’s hand and goes to greet him,easily molding herself into Jay’s side as his arm snakes around her waist. Mal sits opposite them, with Carlos perching in her lap and Dude curled up by their feet.

When Evie meets Mal’s gaze, it’s full of adoration, and that soft smile she reserves only for the three of them. A breakfast date, Evie decides, is something they should do more often. She makes a mental note to start scheduling these dates as a regular occurrence, for all their benefit.

In the back of her mind, her mother’s voice still tries to creep in, but right now, with Jay’s hand on her waist and Carlos’s laughter ringing through the air, Evie’s mood can’t be dampened.

She thanks Evil for the love she has. Jay, Mal, and Carlos always know exactly what she needs.

**Author's Note:**

> If I end up writing an au where Jay is a hairdresser Sparrow is to blame for leaving that idea in her beta comments!


End file.
